The present invention relates to the testing of electrical components, and more particularly, relates to thermal shock testing of electrical components.
Electrical components are commonly tested at high and low temperatures to identify which components would not operate effectively at high and low temperatures. A conventional testing procedure is a batch process. In a batch process a number of electrical components are simultaneously heated and cooled as a group and monitored as a group.
Also, an in-line testing process is known. In an in-line process, the electrical components are moved sequentially through a tunnel having a cold chamber portion and a hot chamber portion. The electrical components are monitored as they move sequentially through the tunnel. The monitoring determines which components are not operative through a temperature range, in which the components are intended to operate, and thus, the monitoring determines which components are defective.
In an in-line process a conveyor system transports electronic components through discrete electrical test stations in spaced apart hot and cold zones. The components are electrically tested at the electrical test stations at predetermined locations in the hot and cold zones.
An apparatus for inline thermal testing of an electrical component includes an environmental chamber, a conveyor, a stimulation means, and a monitoring means. The environmental chamber includes a hot zone and a cold zone. The conveyor transports the electrical component through the hot and cold zones of the environmental chamber. The stimulation means provides continuous electric stimulation to the electrical component during transport of the electrical component through the environmental chamber. The monitoring means continuously monitors the effect of the stimulation means on the electrical component during transport of the electrical component through the environmental chamber.